Pirates Reportedly Promoting Top Prospect Konnor Griffin To High-A

Konnor Griffin is reportedly taking his first step up the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor-league ladder.

Last year’s No. 9 overall pick has enjoyed a torrid start to his professional career, batting .338/.396/.536 with nine home runs in 50 games for Single-A Bradenton.

According to MiLB Central’s Chase Ford and MLB.com’s Alex Stumpf, the Pirates are promoting Griffin to High-A Greensboro.

Griffin prompted the move by recording multiple hits in each of the last five games. The 19-year-old is 13-for-25 in June after hitting an inside-the-park home run and stealing his 26th base of the season on Saturday.

MLB.com rates Griffin as the No. 34 overall prospect and Pittsburgh’s second-best minor leaguer behind pitcher Bubba Chandler. Only five teenagers (Leo De Vries, Sebastian Walcott, Colt Emerson, Jesús Made, and Ethan Salas) are ranked higher than the former Mississippi high school phenom.

On Wednesday, MLB.com identified Griffin as the Pirates’ most “intriguing” prospect. Jonathan Mayo said Griffin possesses “Arguably the best all-around toolset of anybody in the (2024) draft class.”

“The Pirates don’t always send their high school guys straight to full-season ball right out of the gate,” Mayo noted. “But he had such a good spring training, he kinda looked like he belonged in big league games in Grapefruit League action. So they sent him to Bradenton, and he’s coming off a ridiculous May. He’s just really fun to watch because he can do everything on the baseball field.”

Griffin still has a long way to go before making his major-league debut, but his ascent can excite Pirates fans in the meantime.

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